stryker 69
Well-known member
Not taking anything away from them, it’s a move a lot of us have wanted for years. I wanted Brooks replaced at half by Moses back in the day…
I applaud the decision and firmly state ’about bloody time’.
The changes that had to be.....
- Thread starter TrueTiger
- Start date
I applaud the decision and firmly state ’about bloody time’.
stryker 69
Well-known member
I agree. We are arguing the same point here.
Madge has finally got off his arse and made it happen. Good for him.
stryker 69
Well-known member
Possibly.
In a way we are lucky Doueihi is injured. I suspect this change wouldn’t have been made had he been available and we would have had the same game managers we had last year.
No mate,Madge has finally got something to work with that benefits the team...Hastings has been out 3 weeks,Gildart had the chances to prove himself and isnt as good as Toa,Simpkin finally got the chance to prove what he can do but Liddle was always first choice,Laurie has been dealing with his leg issues and showed what he can provide with a better performance than previously...
I can see that you are negative toward Madge because of the failures we have had but at least he is playing players who are suited to the positions he needs to improve...
You could well be right. Fortutious that it worked out the way it did.
Anyway fairly certain Hastings will continue the year as our organising half, and rightly so.
stryker 69
Well-known member
Of course there will be weeks where we are beaten up.
Our roster is not quality.
Having Hastings run the attack with Brooks, Simpkin (Liddle) and Laurie providing the spark and our backrowers hitting the edges at speed…we will win some games. When Stef, Doueihi and co come back, we’ll be in a position to avoid the spoon. This is not the way I was feeling 2 weeks ago.
Its going to take time for consistent footy to return results under the new regime. The positivity of the move though, will be embraced.
stryker 69
Well-known member
Is it him or Sheens?
Big coincidence it all clicked on the same day.
Very lucky Madge…
diedpretty
Well-known member
Thats true to some extent but you still want one guy organising - he is the one who gets his hands on the ball the most, the one who tells players where they should be running, the one who looks at setting up the play one or two tackles in advance. Whether that is the 6 or 7 doesn't matter however we do look better in attack with Hastings at first receiver and Brooks 1 or 2 passes from the ruck. The top sides all have an organising half and a skillful running half whether they be at 6 or 7.
We have been largely close in a few games this year.
1 good win is only the very start of the turnaround in a poor culture that has underpinned our club since foundation.
I firmly believe that Madge (Whilst not Perfect) is the Coach with the strength of Character to continue this pathway for a little longer especially as there are some better (non WT) players coming in 2023.
1 good win is only the very start of the turnaround in a poor culture that has underpinned our club since foundation.
I firmly believe that Madge (Whilst not Perfect) is the Coach with the strength of Character to continue this pathway for a little longer especially as there are some better (non WT) players coming in 2023.
Interesting you say that. Hastings even mentioned Brooks speed when interviewed pre game.
If you remember back to Brookies interview with Channel 9 early last year when they asked how him and Doueihi will work together, Brooks mentioned he’ll control the middle of the field and the forwards and Doueihi will set up the backline and the shift plays.
Reality is Brooks has been doing his first role ok, say a B grade for that but without a quick and elusive five eight it makes the rest hard. In the first game, Melbourne put a lot of emphasis on shutting down both our halves whenever they got the ball, Hastings got tackled a lot in shift plays.
Anyway given that this is style Madge wants us to play with and not having our halves pigeoned into a side of the field the reversing of not just the numbers but the roles meant that Hastings would dictate the forwards but also create the space for the 6, 1 to play off that.
Unfortunately I only see Doueihi replacing Madden of Jimmy Roberts when he returns as I can’t see him having the same speed to get across the field in backline plays.
tig_prmz
Well-known member
His over the top support of Brooks doesn't seem genuine, I feel he may have been told to do that to help Brooks. If he has actually taken it upon himself to do that then cudos to him and shows strong leadership skills.
Every team has a different responsibility for a 6 and a 7. Remember Soward, Lockyer, Campese etc who wore 6 but generally did most of the organising/kicking.
The halfback role seems to be split between Brooks/Hastings. Jacko does the organising where Brooks does the kicking.
tig_prmz
Well-known member
Yes and No IMO.
The first 5 games we played- we played horrible and didn't deserve to win. At the same time, they were against fellow bottom 8 teams like Knights, Warriors and Titans. Those games were always expected to be close. Against Melbourne, it was the first half of the season- plenty of energy and enthusiasm but as soon as we got under pressure, we conceded 4 tries with our goal line defence.
I actually think it was Hastings.
He has been burning for 3 weeks in the coaches box watching the side try their buts off but all and sundry can see that their confidence was shot.
I reckon he came back this week and the team got a little bit of confidence back and mostly thought with him back we can at least make the score look respectable.
Hastings would of been like no boys, we will win this or die trying.
You could see each player over the last three weeks try over and over to execute without the confidence to do so.
Hastings is a winner. I’m not blowing his trumpet it’s only early in the season but personalities are huge in sport. Hastings is the first player we have had since Robbie Farah that looks like they live and breathe football and just want to do whatever it takes to win. A player like that is infectious and I reckon it even brought a former player out of Tamou as that was a performance from back in his prime.
Soward never felt comfortable in the 7 jersey until he was forced to play in it late in his years with Penrith. He was always a smart footballer but was less burdened with having to organise the team which Wally did so well and later Nathan
C
Cobarcats
Guest
Good read mate.
From ⅝ to outside backs and fulback there is a 'need for speed'.
The ½ back speed is crucial for quick bursts.
Most clubs have speed out wide. Cronulla are playing three fullbacks in their side at the moment.
If you look at their attack they stand nearly behind each other and very deep. This allows these running fulback types room to run and and change angles quicker at pace. When attack is running at you at speed and change angles quickly, it's hard for D to react.
I got attacked last year when I said AD would be a good footback.
He's got good hands, tall and a talker.
Anyway, as I said before, players are being tested in different positions which is good for next year.
Pretty much what you said above is mentioned on the Matty Johns podcast with Cooper Cronk, worth a watch if you have fox.
C
Cobarcats
Guest
I avoid watching fox but ill check it out, maybe this old centre knows something afterall 🤣
Might be able to Spotify as it’s also a podcast I believe
Not sure the coach has had many options to move halfbacks in and out of the team. Very harsh judge to crticise him not moving Brooks until now. Despite the fact the change is needed, Im certain he was sure of that too, but with whom?
Its taken nearly 3 years to close the doors on some of the issues, recruiting, no football manager, no pathways stuff, overpaid contracts, etc. And a further 3 years to get over the complete mess that was left from the previous multiple CEO's and Chairman.
Lets move on.
Its taken nearly 3 years to close the doors on some of the issues, recruiting, no football manager, no pathways stuff, overpaid contracts, etc. And a further 3 years to get over the complete mess that was left from the previous multiple CEO's and Chairman.
Lets move on.
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